Hungary Expels 10 Russian Diplomats Under PM Peter Magyar
Key Points
- Hungary expelled 10 Russian diplomats on September 11, 2026, for activities deemed unacceptable under the Vienna Convention.
- Peter Magyar became prime minister in May 2026, ending Viktor Orban's era of warm relations with Russia.
- The expulsion is Hungary's first such major action against Russia since the collapse of communism in 1989-1990.
Hungary's stance under Viktor Orban had made it a persistent security concern for the European Union and NATO. In February, it came to light that then-Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto had passed confidential information from EU meetings to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Russian intelligence operatives operated in Hungary with minimal interference for years.
Political scientist Andras Racz told Hungarian national news agency MTI that Hungary had been the only EU and NATO member not to execute such an expulsion in recent years. "Hungary is now settling its old debt with its allies," Racz said, adding that the action "should really have been taken four-and-a-half years ago." Secret service expert Peter Tarjani characterized the decision as "not a diplomatic conflict, but a serious secret service matter" and said it marked Hungary's return "to the mainstream of its allies' security policy."
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Moscow responded with consideration of halting gas supplies to Hungary in retaliation. The Russian response underscores the economic leverage Russia has historically wielded over Budapest, a pressure Viktor Orban cited repeatedly to justify his pro-Russia position by claiming Hungarian energy dependence on Russian gas was unique in the region—a claim experts have disputed for years.
The expulsion carries particular weight given that Hungary was the only EU member state under Orban's leadership to refuse unreserved condemnation of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and during the last two years of his rule, Orban blamed Ukraine and the West for Russian aggression.
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Why this matters: Hungary's policy reversal eliminates a longstanding obstacle to unified EU and NATO responses to Russian threats. For years, Budapest's obstruction on sanctions and security matters forced consensus-based organizations to work around one member state. Peter Magyar's government has repositioned Hungary within its alliance framework, but Russia's threatened response on gas supplies indicates immediate economic consequences for Budapest.
What Happens Next
Moscow's potential gas supply halt will test whether Peter Magyar's government can sustain its Russia policy shift amid economic pressure. Hungary will likely seek alternative energy sources and EU energy solidarity mechanisms, while Russia may use energy leverage to attempt to influence Budapest's stance on broader Ukraine sanctions and NATO policies. Watch for Magyar's position during the next EU or NATO consensus vote on Russia-related measures.
Sources: DW and other international news outlets.
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